Best way to put driveway and porch lights on a timer?

[The Snake]

Our driveway and porch lights run off the same switch, so I can't just throw in a smart bulb and call it a day. I want them to turn on automatically in the evening for a few hours so I'm not walking up in the dark.

What's the easiest setup for this without rewiring the whole thing? A plug-in timer won't work since these are hardwired, so let's skip that suggestion please. Thank you guys so much.

 

[TriggerHappyHome]

You could either put in a smart switch that works with your current wiring or use a smart relay module behind your existing switch. Both options let you set up schedules automatically without needing to do any extensive rewiring

 

[Austinauto]

@The Snake swap that switch out for a smart one with a built in timer or scheduling. That way you keep the same wiring but get full control over when the lights come on and off. I did that with mine and it worked real well

 

[Alan]

A smart in-wall switch is really the cleanest solution since your lights share a circuit. It replaces the existing switch, keeps everything hardwired, and lets you set schedules without touching the wiring or bulbs.